May 06, 2011

Practice is Mastery

broken beads

Easter brunch where I ran into Coach Bryon.

Ahh, finished product.

Ok so I am so happy to post this story! Here's a little back story first. A few months ago I saw Bryon a coach from my gym walking around with these beautiful prayer beads. I asked him where he got them and he said they were a gift from his yoga teacher and they were from India. I thought wow, those are so cool and I have no chance of buying some (I'm not going to India any time soon).

So fast forward to a few weeks ago, a group of us are at a barbecue. Bryon comes in wearing his beads and again I comment on them. He told me they had just broke. Lucky me! As it turns out he was given these beads from his teacher with the instruction that once they break he was to give them away and the new owner must restring the beads. Right then and there he took them off and gave them to me. I was so excited and also had a bit of guilt! Really! Can I take these amazing beads! They are my favorite color by the way but this is almost too cool of a gift.

Bryon did tell me that I should not become attached to them and that when they break I need to pass them on. As he's telling me this I'm agreeing but already feel this strong attachment to the beads. The string was broken and tied together so I was very fearful that they would break again before I had a chance to restring them...

The next morning was Easter morning. As I was getting ready for Easter brunch I thought of leaving the beads at home (I really worried about it breaking). But I was also instructed to keep them close to me. I decided to wear them. Thankfully they didn't break and I ended up running into Bryon at Easter brunch! All I thought about was how bad I would of felt had I not been wearing them just one day later...

So several days ago I go to the craft store get the supplies I needed to restring the beads. Presley was off to school and I figured I would take a few hours restring the beads, take photos and blog all about it. Well it started off smoothly, I sat down got the beading started quickly then I realized the string was too short. So I stopped cut each bead off one by one (there is a knot in between each bead). As I'm beading I'm very calm, feeling very introspective and having a great time alone with my thoughts...

Soon my fingers are getting a little sore, by back is getting stiff and I realize the string is again too short. This is now a few hours into the restringing of these beads. I'm near tears and I spill the beads as I'm cutting them apart and they roll off the table on the floor and all around me. Next I realize that I am now out of string. I felt a little frustrated but I never break down and cry. What I did do was really try to look into a meaning of this frustration. I guess if I could turn into a teachable moment it was going to be worth it for me. I didn't come away with a profound idea. But I did begin the mantra, "practice is mastery"...

Now the beads are all restrung and I'm loving them. I am thankful for the gift of the physical beads and of the experience of restringing the beads. It gave me a real appreciation for them. The beads will serve as a reminder for me to let go of attachments and the only way to master that is through practice...

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Practice is Mastery

broken beads

Easter brunch where I ran into Coach Bryon.

Ahh, finished product.

Ok so I am so happy to post this story! Here's a little back story first. A few months ago I saw Bryon a coach from my gym walking around with these beautiful prayer beads. I asked him where he got them and he said they were a gift from his yoga teacher and they were from India. I thought wow, those are so cool and I have no chance of buying some (I'm not going to India any time soon).

So fast forward to a few weeks ago, a group of us are at a barbecue. Bryon comes in wearing his beads and again I comment on them. He told me they had just broke. Lucky me! As it turns out he was given these beads from his teacher with the instruction that once they break he was to give them away and the new owner must restring the beads. Right then and there he took them off and gave them to me. I was so excited and also had a bit of guilt! Really! Can I take these amazing beads! They are my favorite color by the way but this is almost too cool of a gift.

Bryon did tell me that I should not become attached to them and that when they break I need to pass them on. As he's telling me this I'm agreeing but already feel this strong attachment to the beads. The string was broken and tied together so I was very fearful that they would break again before I had a chance to restring them...

The next morning was Easter morning. As I was getting ready for Easter brunch I thought of leaving the beads at home (I really worried about it breaking). But I was also instructed to keep them close to me. I decided to wear them. Thankfully they didn't break and I ended up running into Bryon at Easter brunch! All I thought about was how bad I would of felt had I not been wearing them just one day later...

So several days ago I go to the craft store get the supplies I needed to restring the beads. Presley was off to school and I figured I would take a few hours restring the beads, take photos and blog all about it. Well it started off smoothly, I sat down got the beading started quickly then I realized the string was too short. So I stopped cut each bead off one by one (there is a knot in between each bead). As I'm beading I'm very calm, feeling very introspective and having a great time alone with my thoughts...

Soon my fingers are getting a little sore, by back is getting stiff and I realize the string is again too short. This is now a few hours into the restringing of these beads. I'm near tears and I spill the beads as I'm cutting them apart and they roll off the table on the floor and all around me. Next I realize that I am now out of string. I felt a little frustrated but I never break down and cry. What I did do was really try to look into a meaning of this frustration. I guess if I could turn into a teachable moment it was going to be worth it for me. I didn't come away with a profound idea. But I did begin the mantra, "practice is mastery"...

Now the beads are all restrung and I'm loving them. I am thankful for the gift of the physical beads and of the experience of restringing the beads. It gave me a real appreciation for them. The beads will serve as a reminder for me to let go of attachments and the only way to master that is through practice...